Who is Osama bin Laden?
Osama bin Laden was born in 1957 in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden,
the 17th son of 52 children, is the son of an extremely wealthy construction tycoon.
Presumably wishing to follow in his father’s footsteps, Osama graduated from a Saudi
Arabian college with a degree in civil engineering.
However, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 bin Laden left Saudi
Arabia to join the Afghan resistance, also known as Mujahedeen. During the war between
the Soviet Union and Afghanistan, Osama participated in numerous battles against the
Soviets as a guerilla commander. Bin Laden eventually helped to force the Soviet Union out
of Afghanistan. It was during this time that he formed the group known as “Al Qaida.” In
1989 Osama returned to Saudi Arabia as a hero and soon became involved in opposition
movements against the Saudi king.
Osama’s life changed when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Saudi Arabia, fearing an
attack by Iraq, allied itself with the United States. Bin Laden voiced his opposition to the
United States and was arrested for doing so. He eventually left Saudi Arabia and moved
to Afghanistan and then to Sudan in Africa. After winning the Gulf War in 1991, the
United States established a large, permanent military presence in the Middle East.
In 1992, bin Laden stated that Al Qaida should put aside its differences with other
terrorist groups to cooperate against the common enemy, the United States and its allies.
Soon after, the first attack on the World Trade center took place in 1993. As a result,
the Saudi Arabian government revoked bin Laden’s citizenship and moved to freeze all of
his assets. Though Osama moved to Sudan, he was later expelled from that country due to
pressure from the United States and Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden finally moved back to
Afghanistan in 1996.
It was at this time that Osama bin Laden signed and issued a Declaration of Jihad
(Holy War) while outlining his organization’s goals: 1) drive U.S. forces out of Saudi Arabia,
2) overthrow the government of Saudi Arabia, 3) liberate Muslim holy sites, 4) support
Islamic revolutionary groups throughout the world, and 5) to give Saudis the right to
strike U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf (Middle East). Furthermore, bin Laden threatened to
wage an Islamic holy war against the United States and its allies if troops were not
removed from the Gulf Region.
Finally, in 1998, Osama bin Laden issued a joint declaration with other terrorist
groups, which stated that Muslims should kill all Americans, including civilians, all over the
world.
1. Who was Osama bin Laden’s father?
2. With what degree did bin Laden graduate from college?
3. Why did he go to Afghanistan in 1979?
4. How did people feel about bin Laden when he returned to Saudi Arabia in 1989?
5. What did Osama voice his opposition against in 1990?
6. What did the United States do after winning the Gulf War in 1991?
7. What did Osama bin Laden want Al Qaida to do in 1992?
8. What were the goals of bin Laden’s terrorist group, Al Qaida?
9. Why did he threaten to wage an Islamic holy war against the U.S. and its allies?
10. Which Americans did bin Laden want Muslims to kill?